But what if I told you there’s a gigantic tech trend that encompasses all of them?

One that boasts a staggering $7.1-trillion projected market valuation.

Well, there is.

And far from being a passing fad, today’s “always on, always connected” world absolutely guarantees that this trend isn’t just here to stay… it’s set to absolutely skyrocket and become ubiquitous.

Here are two brilliant new innovations that are tapping into it…

At the Forefront of an Enormous Trend

If you think the internet is big business now, prepare for the “Internet of Things” (IoT).

This refers to a world where machines, devices, and systems are all interconnected via the internet – and, as a result, to people who use them. This proliferation of “smart” devices and machines will increase automation and dramatically boost quality of life.

For example, we’re talking about sensors and other monitoring devices used in the healthcare sectors and auto industry… smartwatches and other wearable technology… “smart” home appliances that are connected to the net… basically, any field you can think of!

Gartner says 26 billion devices will be connected to the IoT by 2020. ABI Research is more bullish, predicting 30 billion.

With intense consumer and corporate demand, the IoT is a massive, life-changing trend. In upcoming issues, I’ll be covering some companies whose clever innovations are tapping into it.

Starting with these two…

IoT Innovation #1: Military-Grade Technology in Cars

The statistic is sobering…

One in four auto accidents are caused by cellphone-related distractions – a stark reminder that our insatiable addiction to phones and “always connected” mentality can be dangerous and destructive.

So instead of letting technology continue to impair drivers, companies are inventing new ways for technology to improve road safety.

Like San Francisco startup, Navdy.

The company is using a technology once reserved for commercial and military pilots – head-up display (HUD).

In the air, it’s the best way of ensuring safety by projecting important in-flight data onto a transparent screen in front of pilots’ faces, rather than off to the side, where they’d need to look away from the window.

So it makes sense to employ this technology in cars, too. After all, there are millions more drivers than pilots. And it certainly beats the alternative – looking away from the road.

And Navdy’s in-car HUD is being called “Google Glass for car windshields.”

The after-market device pairs up with both Apple (AAPL) and Android-based operating systems to turn your windshield into an interactive screen. It projects GPS, phone calls, text messages, music playlists, and other functions onto a high-quality, transparent display in front of your face. And Navdy is hands-free, so drivers operate it with hand gestures and voice controls, and never need to look away from the road.

For example, you’ll see that you woke up at 3:26 AM, but you won’t always know why.

Without that insight, how do you prevent it from happening again?

Hello has created a product called “Sense,” which not only tracks your sleep, it also monitors your surrounding environment.

Sense comes in two parts…

The Orb: This goes on your nightstand, where it listens for noise and monitors the lighting and temperature. Heck, it even picks up what kind of particles are in the air!

The “Pill”: This attaches to your pillow, where it tracks the activity and quality of your sleep, based on the motions you make during the night.

As a result, Sense assigns a Sleep Score for each night, giving users very specific details that answer the question, “Why did I sleep so badly?”

For example…

~What’s Your Wattage? Sense’s light sensor may note that you’re using 100-watt light bulbs instead of the 75-watt bulbs you typically use. And on nights when you left the 100-watt bulbs on, it disturbed your sleep way more than when you left the 75-watt bulbs on.

~Heat: If Sense’s “Pill” notices that you’re tossing and turning more than usual, and picks up on an increase in your perspiration, it recognizes that you’re sleeping in a stifling 80 degrees instead of your normal 75-degree range.

~Groggy: Perhaps you’ve felt groggy in the mornings a lot and can’t figure out why. You check Sense, and discover from the playback that its microphone picked up on a homeless man bashing a garage door with a stick at 3:00 AM every night (true story).

Sense also plays ambient noise and even acts as a modern-day Smart Alarm that wakes you up according to your specific sleep cycle.

See for yourself…

Sense is using Kickstarter to gain funding. And a $100,000 goal has catapulted to over $2 million in under 30 days from 16,700 backers.

There are only a few days left to become one of Sense’s initial backers – and first in line to receive the discounted product when it’s market-ready in November.

Plus, an investment in Sense isn’t just investing in your well-being, it’s also a thumbs-up to entrepreneurism and supporting such innovative projects through crowdfunding.

Comments (3)

GM has been putting heads up displays (HUD) in their cars for several years… I have one in my 99 Buick and love it. I don’t know if they still offer it, or if it will have the features available that the product in the article references.

Great informative article, I just have a small comment about defining the general idea of Internet of Things. You reffered to it as “…world where machines, devices, and systems are all interconnected via the internet…”. While this is true the IoT idea extends to include all physical things (entities) in the world. That means they would all have their digital representation somewhere in the global ecosystem. Essentially everything tangible is becoming interconnected and machines, devices and systems are only seen as means to deliver this vision.

Indeed IoT industry is growing exponentially with numerous opportunities for both academic and commercial research and applications.

So the California drought — the one that pundits told us would last 50 years (or more) — is officially over. Time to gauge the investment merits. Should you begin strategically buying the downtrodden assets, like vineyards? Or perhaps shorting the overinflated assets? Let’s dig in...

America’s largest health insurance companies — Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealth Group, Humana and Anthem — are also printing money! And now that Trumpcare has failed, the printing presses will run even hotter. And these companies are about to go on a historic acquisition spree.